Trimmer for butt-ends of corn.



J. B. ZIMMERMAN & 0. S. SELLS.

TRIMMER FOR BUTT ENDS OP CORN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1912.

1,077,577. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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J. B. ZIMMERMAN & O. S. SELLS.

TRIMMER FOR BUTT ENDS 0F CORN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1912.

1,077,577. Patented Nov. 4., 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFIGE.

JOHN B. ZIMMERMAN OGDEN S. SELLS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TOPEERLESS HUSKER COMFANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

TRIMMER FOB BUTT-ENDS OF CORN.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed June 6, 1912. Serial No. 701,962.

To all whom,- it may concern:

Beit known that we, JOHN B. zmmnn- MAN and OGDEN S. SELLS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trimmers forButt-Ends of Corn, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for trimming or cutting off the buttends of green ears of corn so as to facilitate the subsequent removal ofthe husks therefrom.

It is the object of this invention to provide simple, efficient andinexpensive means whereby this purpose is accomplished.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is afragmentary top plan view of a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross section ofthe same taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sideelevation of the machine viewed in a direction opposite to that in whichFig. 2 is viewed. Fig. 5 is a detached top plan view of one of theplates having shifting rails whereby the ears of corn are moved towardthe gage preparatory to severing the butt thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughoutthe several views.

In its general organization this machine comprises a feed table, aconveyer whereby the ears of corn are propelled in a crosswise positionover said table, a gage against which the butt ends of the ears of cornare pressed, anda cutterwhich removes the butt ends of the ears of corn.

The feed table preferably comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinalsupporting bars 1 which are mounted on the frame 2 and which areseparated from each other Each of the chains or belts of the endlessconveyor is provided at intervals with the outwardly projecting wings,flights or fin-' gers 9, the corresponding flights of the sev eral chainbelts being'arranged transversely in line and adapted to carry the earsof corn 10in a crosswise position forwardly over the feed table. Thismovement of the endless conveyer ma be produced by applying power to theront'shaft 7 by means of a pulley mounted thereon and receiving adriving belt or by any other suitable means.

The cutter whereby the butt ends of the ears of corn are trimmed off maybe variously constructed but that shown in the drawings is suitable andcomprises a pair of upper and lower blades 11, 12 which are arrangedlengthwise'on the main frame at the right hand side of the conveyor andthe cutting edges of which form a Vshaped notch, as shown in Fig. 4.

13 represents the gage which determines the length of butt to be removedfrom the ears of corn by the cutter. This gage preferably comprises alongitudinal bar arranged parallel with the feed table and the conveyorat the right hand side of the same and in rear of the cutter and issupported upon the adjacent part of the main frame by means of brackets14:. 7

While the ears of corn are being carried over the table by meansof theconveyer they are pressed downwardly by means of plurality of springpresser armsl5 each of which is preferably of U-form and connected witha rock shaft 16. The latter is journaled in a suitable bearing 17 on themain frame and yieldingly turned in a direction for pressing the arms 15downwardly toward the feed table. This yielding pressure is preferablyeffected by means of a tension rod 18 connected at one end with adepending arm 19 on the rock shaft. and a spring 20 surrounding thetension rod and hearing at one end against a bracket 21 on the mainframe and at its other end against a stop 22 mounted on the tension rod.

Each ear of corn is placed crosswise upon the rear end of the feed tableby the operator or by mechanism provided for that purpose so that thebutt end of the ear is at the right or projecting toward that side ofthe conveyer on which the gage and cutter are arranged. The ear is thenengaged by the wings of the conveyer and propelled in a crosswiseposition forwardly over the table. As the ear ofcorn reaches a positiontrans versely in line with the gage the same is automatically shifted ina direction crosswise of the table and conveyer so that the butt of theear of corn projects over the upper edge of the gage and the breast ofthe butt engages with the inner sideof the gage, as shown by dottedlines in Fig. 3. This transverse movement of the ear of corn is edectedby one or more oblique shifting rails, ribs or flanges 23 which arearranged below the path of the ears-of corn and engage with theundersides of the same. These shifting rails are-arranged at such anangle that the same and thevgage bar converge forwardly in the directionof travel of the conveyer. whereby these rails upon engaging with theunderside of the ears of corn operate to gradually shift the earscrosswise of the conveyer and table until the butt ends of the sameengage with the gage bar. As shown in the drawings a plurality of suchshifting rails are arra'nged between adjacent chains of the conveyer orcarrier, each set between adjacent chains being mounted on the upperside of a bar or plate 24 which is in turn secured to the upper surfaceof the adjacent supporting bar on the table.

For the purpose of accentuating the feeding effect of the shifting railthe rear sides of the same are upright or abrupt and their upper sidesslope downwardly and forwardlv from the rear sides thereof, therebyproducing a comparatively sharp edge 25 at the upper rear corner of eachof these rails. This enables the rails to obtain a firm hold upon theears of corn which are moved forwardly over the same, thereby insuringan effective transverse movement of the ears of corn toward the gagewhen the same are engaged on their undersides by the shifting rails.While the ears are being thus fed continue their longitudinal forwardmovement under the action of the conveyeriso that the butt ends of theears are carried past the cutter and the butt ends are severedtherefrom, the severed portion correspond ing to the distance which thegage is off-set toward the right from the cutter, or is nearer theconveyer than the gage. After the butt ends have been cut oil the earsof corn the same continue their forward move- Inent under the action ofthe conveyer and are engaged on their upper sides by upper and lowerhusk loosening teeth 26, 27 and then the husks may be completely removedfrom the ear in any suitable way preparatory to cutting the kernels fromthe cob. The upper loosening spurs or teeth 26 are preferably mounted onthe front ends of spring arms 28 which are mounted at their rear ends onthe rock shaft 16. The lower teeth 27 are mounted on plates 29 securedto the table bars 1 in front of the rail plates 24. This means ofautomatically shifting the ears of corn laterally on the conveyer towardthe gage for gaging the butt ends of the ears before trimming the sameoff by means of the cutter is exceedingly simple and effective and as itinvolves no moving parts the same is not liable to wear unduly norrequire occasional adjustment or other attention.

We claim as our invention:

The combination of a cutter, a gage arranged adjacentv to said cutter, aconveyer for moving ears of corn in a crosswise position lengthwise ofsaid gage and past/the cutter, and means for moving said earstransversely of said conveyer and toward said gage comprising a shiftingrail arranged at an oblique angle relatively to the direction ofmovement of said conveyer and having a forwardly sloping uppersideforming a sharp rear corner which is adapted to engage with the outerside of the ears of corn.

Witness our hands this 3rd day of June.

JOHN B. ZIMMERMAN. OGDEN S. SELLS. Witnesses:

H. SHELDON, H. J. WHEELER.

